


I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door

by tinaten



Category: NCT (Band), NCT Dream
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, M/M, Minor Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan, Minor Park Jisung/Zhong Chen Le, NCT Dream - Freeform, Original Character(s), Slice of Life, personally i dont think its angst, pls comment and tell me you like it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-05
Updated: 2020-05-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:47:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24012328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinaten/pseuds/tinaten
Summary: Jaemin has lived his life with a part of his memory missing. So when he makes a new friend at the park, he just can't remember why he looks so damn familiar.
Relationships: Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin
Comments: 28
Kudos: 79





	I slithered here from Eden just to sit outside your door

Jaemin sat silently in the park. His knees had been aching but he had promised his son Jisung he would look after his grandkids that weekend. He knew the little ones were far too energetic and would want Jaemin to run around and play with them. He was just preparing himself for it by walking around for a little bit.

He sat silently, looking at the birds flying down and pecking at the crumbs left over by people having picnics in the area. 

They seemed so content. They also seemed light, which at his age Jaemin surely missed. 

But there was something about staring at birds that made Jaemin feel at home. Somewhere distant in his memory he felt he could remember someone telling him how they wanted to be free like birds.

They sure were beautiful.

“Pretty aren’t they?” A voice spoke up breaking Jaemin out of his thought process.

Jaemin slowly turned his face to look upon the young boy that had come to sit beside him. 

Jaemin hadn’t even noticed but his hearing was failing him these days. 

The boy though. He seemed so familiar. He smiled at Jaemin with a look Jaemin couldn’t quite understand. Yet Jaemin couldn’t help but find the smile that sat so peacefully on the other boy’s face to feel so comforting. 

“Yes. They are. Do you like birds as well?” Jaemin spoke smiling back at the young man

“I do. A long time ago I used to envy their ability to just fly away. To be free.”

The boy said this with such a serious voice that Jaemin couldn’t help but laugh. A young man spoke to the aging old man about a time long ago. 

“You still have time. You’ll find your way don’t worry.”

The boy looked towards the birds not replying to the statement. He then pointed to a red bird and spoke again. 

“What do you think of that one?”

“It’s pretty. Do you know its name?”

“It’s a red cardinal. It reminds me of the third date me and my love had gone on. He had pointed the bird out and… It was a really beautiful day that day.”

Jaemin couldn’t quite understand the sentimental type boy sitting beside him, but he spoke with such sorrow in his voice. Jaemin didn’t understand why but he wanted to pull the boy into a hug and let the boy cry into his shoulder. 

“Listen kid, what’s your name?”

The boy smiled brightly at Jaemin once again and Jaemin felt his worries dissolving away from his body once more. 

“It’s getting late I’m sure your family will be waiting on you.” The boy said softly leaning slightly closer to Jaemin

Jaemin would have liked to question the boy but his phone rang and he moved to look down. It seemed to be a message from his grandkids showing their art work and asking if Jaemin could bring their favourite type of chocolate when he came over. 

His family was so talented and adorable. Jaemin really couldn’t quite take it. He had an urge to share it with the boy beside him but the moment he looked up the boy was gone. 

Jaemin didn’t know why but the boy’s absence made him feel a little uneasy. 

He wished they could have at least said goodbye properly. 

He spent the rest of his walk home thinking about the boy with the beautiful smile. 

_ _ _ _

“Dad, you sure you will be okay? If you need anything at all just call us. We will be here faster than you even know.” Jisung said towering over his father with a frown on his face

Jaemin didn’t understand how but even as a grown adult with greying hair of his own, Jisung still looked adorable to him.

“I’m old not stupid. I’ve taken care of kids before. You should know! Now go. Have fun, your husband isn’t going to wait forever for you to get a move on.” Jaemin said slightly pushing his son out the door. 

Then it was finally just Jaemin and the kids. 

“Grandpa! Do you want to hear about what happened at art class today?”

Jaemin nodded and patted on the seat beside him. His grandkids started on about their days and Jaemin just listened. 

He thought about when Jisung was around this age. Jisung had been a bit quieter and Jaemin didn’t quite know where he got that from, but he loved him and his antics no matter. Back then Jaemin had someone there as well. 

He couldn’t quite remember who but he knew someone was there. 

There had been an accident and Jaemin had made it out but with a skewed memory with holes here and there. 

Sometimes it left Jaemin very lonely. Still, Jaemin had his family and his little walks around his neighbourhood. He was good. He was happy. 

“Check the stove”

Jaemin heard a male voice whisper into his ear. He quickly tried to turn and see where the voice came form but he didn’t notice anything there. 

“Hey honey, give me a second. Do you mind checking if your dad closed the stove before he left?” Jaemin asked his oldest grandkid sweetly who nodded and immediately got to moving. 

That night when Jisung and Chenle came back home they got a great big scolding by Jaemin about the dangers of not checking to see if all their kitchen appliances are closed or not before leaving. 

They were lucky the thought popped up into Jaemin’s brain when it did. 

_ _ _ _

The next time Jaemin went for a walk in the park he brought with him a book his son had lent to him. A gift to keep him busy until their next trip. 

Jisung already lived close to Jaemin but he still fussed over his father as if the man was not one of the fittest grandparents out there. Jaemin wasn’t in his ‘prime’ anymore but he was still agile as can be. 

But it was sweet. Seeing the boy still look for his father all these times. 

Jaemin was more proud than he thought possible of how his son had turned out. 

He felt guilty about not having all the memories from Jisung’s childhood but his son was always so understanding and caring. He must have done something right.

Jaemin sat on the bench he sat one before and looked at the cover of the book. 

It was a brown cover with the title written in cursive. Jaemin hoped the plot would be more interesting than the cover at least. 

He started reading and almost lost track of time sitting there. It was truly a nice book. A mystery novel with a funny and relatable enough main character. 

He was just about to get to the next chapter when a voice pulled him out of his concentration.

“Do you think it’s going to rain?”

Jaemin turned to his side to see that same young man from last time sitting beside him. The boy was looking towards the sky where to Jaemin’s surprise clouds had started to form. 

Jaemin’s knees gave a small ache as he realized he really should be on his way home.

“It does seem so. Hello again to you.” Jaemin said picking himself up as the boy got up along with him

“Better get on your way home. It was really good to see you again.” The boy said smiling

“You too young man. No good getting wet and getting sick.”

The boy laughed softly. Jaemin didn’t know why but he couldn’t help but wish he could hear more of that laughter. It felt very soft and kind. 

“I’m going to walk around the park for a bit more. Then I shall be on my way. You should really go on home.”

Jaemin wanted to protest but it truly was getting darker. At his age he really couldn’t be reckless and go around walking in the rain if he wanted to stay healthy and ready to hang around his grandkids. 

“See you around then.”

Jaemin walked on home with the kind man’s image staying in his mind. As he finally got home he remembered he forgot to ask for the man’s name again. 

“Next time. If I see him again. I’ll surely ask him again next time”

With that thought in mind Jaemin climbed into his bed to go off to sleep.

_ _ _ _

“BINGO!” screamed out Donghyuck from right beside Jaemin

The helper in front tried their best not to roll their eyes and came to check if Donghyuck truly got a bingo or if he was cheating like last time.

Bingo matches can get intense.

“How do you deal with him?” Jaemin asked Renjun who smiled lovingly towards his husband winning them a new thermos flask.

“I don’t. It’s all a ploy to get his money.” Renjun said as his husband hit his arm 

“Jokes on you, I’m not even rich. I just tricked you because I’m in it for YOUR money.” Donghyuck said putting his newly acquired thermos flask between them

“You two are insufferable. How did your kids turn out the way they did?” Jaemin asks innocently forgetting he must never mention kids in front of the emotional duo

“Mark, we have no idea, but Chenle goes after me 100%” Donghyuck boasted 

“Please Chenle goes after me! The other day we were walking and the cashier at our grocery store called us twins.”

“Firstly, she lied because she wanted tips. Secondly, you went to grocery shop without me?” Donghyuck said looking like he was about to cry

“Honey, you were at your weekly storytelling session at the library. We were out of eggs so I had to go.” Renjun said taking Donghyuck’s hand into his own

“I forgive you” Donghyuck said as the other old ladies from the table next to them glared the couple down

“Can you be a bit quieter. I think Meredith wants your heads.” Jaemin said breaking the two out of the impromptu staring competition they were doing

“Meredith the old bat can eat my ass with her raggedy dentures. She’s just upset me and my husband still love each other” Donghyuck said raising his voice

The helpers in the front put their faces in their hands. Jaemin was sure they had gotten this job thinking they would have to deal with sweet old people and not the demonic duo picking fights every other day. 

“I think she just wants to win the knitting set and can’t hear the numbers being called. Also Meredith is the same age as us.” Jaemin said trying to get his friends to stop glaring at the poor woman 

“We are still in our youth. As long as we have each other, this trio will never age.” Renjun proclaimed 

“That’s not how time works.” Jaemin said but the duo were already on to talking about another subject

Jaemin doesn’t remember when he first met the two men but in his mind they are a presence that just feels natural to be around for him. 

He remembers them helping him often in his youth when he would be sick or during the times after the accident. 

When Chenle and Jisung first told them they were together the three men had already begun coming up with plans on what the marriage of their sons would be like. They were sentimental fools but they kept that information to themselves. 

Well until Jisung finally proposed and Renjun and Donghyuck had to pay up since they had bet it would be their son who would propose first. 

That was a marvelous day for Jaemin for multiple reasons.

Sometimes though the two would come into Jaemin’s home and stare at corners as though they expected someone to come through there and join the group. 

Sometimes behind their carefree smile Jaemin could sense a certain look of pain when they entered his home. 

They never mentioned it though, and Jaemin never asked. For Jaemin life was all about what is to come. 

No matter what anyone said. Jaemin was content. There was an itch in his life he couldn’t shake off but he was happy. He was happy. 

“Old man are you zoning out again?” Renjun asked as Jaemin turned to his friend and kicked him under the table

“I’m the youngest of us three so you keep your mouth shut. Go back to calling Meredith old, not me.”

The three laughed ignoring a voice of protest in the background. Things were good.  
_ _ _ _

“Do you ever think about tree trunks?” Jaemin heard from behind him

The young man was here in the park again. Jaemin was excited to see his new friend he couldn’t lie. 

“Just the trunk?” Jaemin ask as the man came to sit beside him

“Yes. I mean, you can tell a lot about its whole life just by the trunk. Plus hugging them is fun, don’t you agree?” 

“You sure are unique” Jaemin laughed as the man smiled his signature comforting smile towards Jaemin

“In a good way I hope.”

“Yes! Of course! It’s just not a lot of young folk just start a conversation with random old men by talking about tree trunks.”

“But you’re not random.” The boy said with such sincerity in his eyes that Jaemin wondered if he had known this man before, “I mean we have met on this bench so many times now”

“Oh! Yes, that we have!” Jaemin said nodding along

The man looked towards the sky and Jaemin found himself staring at the side profile of the strange kind man beside him. There was something just so familiar about him. 

“The sky is so beautiful isn’t it?” Jaemin says looking up to stare at the sky the same way the young man beside him does

“Beautiful” The boy repeats looking down towards Jaemin

They sit in silence for a bit and Jaemin finds himself slightly drifting off. Everything feels so familiar and safe to him. It almost feels as if he had done this before. 

By the time Jaemin turned towards the boy again he was gone. 

That kid sure had a bad habit of leaving without a goodbye, Jaemin thought to himself. 

_ _ _ _

“What’s a dilf?” Jaemin asks Jisung after having heard his grandkids call him that after he told them about the new friend he had made

“WHO TOLD YOU THAT????” Jisung practically screams as Chenle walks in concerned about his husband

“What’s wrong?” Chenle asks coming to stand beside his husband as Jaemin stares on confused

“Dad how do you know the word dilf?” Jisung asks holding Chenle’s hand looking paler than he should

“Your kids called me that after I told them about my new friend.” Jaemin says as he hears rushing footsteps away from the living room 

“Our children are going to be grounded for the rest of their lives.” Jisung says falling into his seat as Chenle tries to supress his laughter

“A dilf is an acronym for dad I’d like to sleep with” Chenle explains softly

Jaemin wonders why the man said it softly when it was the children who told him about that word. It wasn’t like anyone here other than Jaemin didn’t know the word’s meaning. 

Also there was no way a young man, especially one that good looking would go after such an old man as Jaemin. He was sure the children were just playing around. 

Unfortunately it seemed to have caused quite the scare for Jisung there who looked like he would pass out by the thought of his father’s love life. 

“The kids were messing around. Plus you must keep one thing in mind.” Chenle whispered softly to Jisung

Jisung looked up hopefully towards the two men.

“I don’t even have Viagra” Jaemin interjected as Jisung screamed at his dad to stop.

_ _ _ _

They say before you, kick the bucket so to say, you have your whole life flash before you. 

Jaemin always wondered what he would see when the time came for him. Maybe he would finally remember the thing he lost long ago in the past.

_ _ _ _

Jaemin sat on the bench in the park waiting for the strange boy to join him. He knew they never said they would meet but they always ended up meeting anyway. He was looking from side to side, hoping he didn’t seem to strange himself to those walking past. 

“Looking for someone?” Jaemin heard being called out from his right

“How do you always manage to sneak up on me?” Jaemin asks frowning slightly

“It’s my speciality. I used to enjoy sneaking up on the love of my life too.”

“Used to? Did something happen between the two of you? Is that why you’re always talking to this old man?” Jaemin asked patting the spot beside him

There was a few moments of silence before the boy spoke up again. As he did he looked away while Jaemin stared at the man’s hands fiddling away. 

“I guess… I guess he had to continue his journey and I couldn’t really follow him.” 

Something in the way the boy spoke that part made Jaemin’s heart feel constricted. He didn’t know why but he himself felt very upset hearing that. 

“I’m sorry”

The boy looked towards Jaemin and smiled a solemn smile. He just looked so familiar but Jaemin couldn’t quite put his finger on it. 

“No need to be. I think he’s happy, and that’s all I ever wanted.” 

Jaemin didn’t ask any more questions. He instead chose to talk about his own life and his grandkids. Thankfully his friend seemed just as excited about hearing of all the trophies and achievements his family had gotten over the years. 

“Hey maybe one day you two will meet again and maybe you can be together again. Don’t lose hope.” Jaemin said as he got up to leave

There was silence as the boy looked at his hands and played with a ring on his finger. 

_ _ _ _

Jaemin and Jeno were driving home from the restaurant laughing about the way the waiter had assumed they were business partners celebrating a business deal or something. 

A truck came out of nowhere. 

Jaemin didn’t remember anything but he didn’t know why but every time he was at home he felt like screaming and pulling his hair out. 

Every time he saw pictures of that man he just felt like dropping to the ground and sobbing. 

There was something missing and every time he saw that man’s face the hollow space in his heart grew bigger and bigger. 

He couldn’t take it. His emotions always came bubbling up and he just felt so overwhelmed by it all.

Jisung came and lay beside his dad every time he lay on the floor wondering what it was about those pictures in his house that made him just feel like someone was ripping his heart to shred. 

Renjun and Donghyuck came often and had begun staying with the father and son duo. They had been here with Jaemin through every step of the way. 

They had apparently organized a funeral for someone before Jaemin had regained consciousness from his injuries. 

They took the pictures of the man. 

Jaemin had a foggy memory about his life before but he couldn’t remember anything concretely. He though had dreams about someone coming to tell him to keep going.

He kept moving forward on his journey through life. He may have lost something but he still had his future ahead of him, and he had Jisung.

He would get through this. 

Even if it hurt when everything was silent.

_ _ _ _

Jisung came home to his father as Jaemin finished setting up everything. They were going to have a nice family dinner, and Jaemin was very excited about it all. 

He had grown far too old. His friends were both gone, and he could barely move to go to the park. 

Renjun and Donghyuck were so selfish and clingy towards each other, they couldn’t even leave one after another. Of course if the two would go they would go together. 

“Where are you looking honey?” Chenle asked Jisung who stared outside the door

“I thought I saw pa.” Jisung said and Chenle quickly rushed to his husbands side.

Jaemin felt happy. He was surrounded by his family. 

He was happy

_ _ _ _

“Nana. Baby?” Jaemin heard a voice whisper out his name

Jaemin fluttered open his eyes to see his friend staring down at him.

“Its you. I remember you. My Jeno. My Nono. My love. My husband.” Jaemin said quickly reaching out to grab Jeno’s face and bring him down for a kiss

He broke the kiss to look at his hands. He looked young again. He then turned to his side to see his body lying on the bed. 

Jeno held his hand pulling him forward.

“It’s time to go.”

“Jeno, I’m scared.” Jaemin said pulling his husband into a hug

“Don’t be. I’m here. I’ve always been and I always will be.” Jeno said bringing Jaemin’s face too look at his own

They were together again. From now till eternity.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope everyone is dealing with quarantine okay. I hope yall liked the story. Please tell me your thoughts. I have been so stressed recently. I love the new dream album! It's so good! I hope everyone got a chance to hear it! I can vouch for just how amazing the music from it is. Amazing! Anyways yeah man. I know nobody really reads the ending notes but I'm bored and I just want anyone who does read to know I'm proud of you and I'm here for you!


End file.
